Does arguing help teams? Yes, but only when done right

The two extremes that both fail spectacularly

Of course, we’re talking about healthy disagreement here. Outright hostility, colleagues shouting, doors slamming, disagreements that cross the line… this is definitely a no-go.

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But an organisation where practically nobody addresses problems openly and confrontations are avoided entirely isn’t going to get very far either, because avoiding disagreement altogether can be just as damaging as letting tensions build up unchecked.

What generative conflict actually looks like

Somewhere between screaming matches and awkward silence sits what Kratz calls generative conflict, disagreement rooted in curiosity rather than the need to win.

In destructive conflict, the goal shifts towards proving who’s right, sometimes attacking someone’s personality directly, which can trigger defensiveness or escalate aggression. Generative conflict starts from a different place entirely, with people actually considering a colleague’s viewpoint rather than simply waiting for their turn to talk.

When managed properly, confrontation can bring fresh perspectives into the conversation and push innovation forward much more effectively than polite agreement ever could.

How leaders should actually handle it

Leaders need to address conflict early, before it compounds into something uglier. That starts with managing their own emotional reactions and approaching difficult conversations with directness and genuine curiosity about what’s actually happening beneath the surface.

Leaders shouldn’t be left to figure this out solo, but organisations need to provide training, coaching, and mediation support, sometimes even through external professionals who bring outside perspective.

Where corporate events fit into all this

Here’s where things get genuinely interesting for anyone organising team building activities or corporate events. Games and simulations give teams a chance to practise handling conflict in a safe environment, with limited real-world consequences, which is why structured challenges can be useful when the aim is to help people become more comfortable with disagreement.

Among the exercises Kratz suggests is a Trade-Off Matrix, where small groups representing different departments have to negotiate a limited shared budget while working towards deliberately different priorities. She also describes a Red Team Protocol, in which one group presents a project while another takes on the role of a “benevolent adversary” and actively looks for potential weaknesses. In both cases, the confrontation becomes part of the exercise, giving participants a chance to question ideas without turning criticism into a personal attack.

Building the Right Team Experience

Team building, taken literally, means building an actual team, where people can challenge each other’s ideas rather than simply nodding along to avoid friction. Being a proper team also means contradicting each other occasionally and questioning strategies when they no longer fit the situation, especially when there is a goal to achieve or a deadline approaching.

You see a real team when different brains and instincts come together and lead to a solution that nobody would have reached alone. What matters is keeping sight of what you’re actually arguing about. If it’s helping the team solve the challenge in front of it, conflict is working for the team, but if it’s about proving who’s the smartest person in the room, you’ve already lost the plot entirely.

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